News and views about the implementation of the Right of Children to Free and Compulsory Education Act 2009 and other legislation, schemes and policies impacting the Right to Education of India's Children.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Survey shows SCs, STs lagging behind in higher education

NEW DELHI: The first-ever survey of higher education
in the country shows that Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes have
not been able to reap its benefits. The survey reveals that though Gross
Enrolment Ratio (GER) has gone up to about 20%, private unaided
colleges have the lowest number of students.

It is expected that when the final results of survey appear by
year-end, enrolment would be go up across the spectrum. But the
provisional data for SCs/STs is a cause for worry. Enrolment of SC
students is only 10.2%; male students (10.3%) and females (10.1%). In
case of STs, the situation is alarming. GER for STs is pitiable at 4.4%; male students (4.3%) and females (4.6%).
With such a poor GER for SCs/STs, it is natural that they have a poor
presence as college and university teachers. Only 7.4% of teachers
belong to SC and 2.9% are STs.
Other Backward Classes (OBCs)
have, however, done well. Though getting reservation in central
government institutions for the past five years and also in many state
government institutions, politically powerful OBCs enrolment figure
stands at 27.1%. Even as teachers in higher educational institutions
OBCs have a dominating presence at 23.3%.
The survey in which
institutions were asked to provide all information to a dedicated portal
has so far received data from more than 450 out of 621 universities,
around 9,000 of 27,468 colleges, 1,800 of 4,118 technical institutes and
2,000 of 5,268 standalone institutions. So far, among the institutions
that have responded 1% of the university and 9% of the colleges are
exclusively meant for girls' education. Also, out of total enrolment,
17% is under distance education mode.
Provisional data has shown
that among responding institutions 36% of the universities, 48% of the
colleges and 56% of standalone institutions are located in rural areas.
Also, 57% of responding colleges are under private management, 22% under
the government sector. As for standalone institutions - teacher
training, nursing colleges and polytechnics - 64% of those who have
responded to survey are under private management.